The Commonwealth
The Commonwealth of Nations is an organization made up of fifty-four states, all but two of which were formerly part of the British Empire. The Commonwealth has a secretariat to oversee its business, but no formal constitution or international laws. The memeber states co-operate following common values and goals, including the promotion of democracy, human rights , good
governance, individual liberty, equalitarism, free trade and world peace. History
Most of the countries in the Commonwealth were once ruled by britain, this is why English is the common language. In 1931 Australia, Canada, New Zeland and South Afirca ( which had once been ruled by Britain, but now independent) decided to join Britain in a club called the “Commonwealth on Nations”.
In 1947 India and Pakistan became indipendent afeter a long struggle against Britain. Two years later, India decided that it also wanted to stay in the Commonwealth as a Republic and agreed to accept the British King or queen as symbol. The Commonwealth became a “free association of indipendent nations”. The modern multi-racial Commonwealth was born. In 1961 south africa left Commonwealth because of its racist policies apartheid. In 1971 Commonwealth leaders agreed to work for racial justice and supported the struggle of South Africans against white minority rule. The Commonwealth strongly opposes racism. In 1994 South Africa returned as a multi racial democracy under leadership of Nelson Mandela. He famously said : “the Coomonwealth makes the world safe for diversity”. This means that the Commonwealth is a goood example of how different perople from different countries can work together for good things.
Nelson Mandela became the first black president of South Africa in 1994, serving until 1999. A symbol of global peacemaking, he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
In 1962 Mandela was again arrested, this time for leaving South Africa illegally and for inciting strikes. He was sentenced to five years in jail. During the twenty-seven years that Mandela spent in prison, his example of quiet suffering was just one of many pressures on South Africa's apartheid government
